BAKU, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technologies took center stage at the 2025 Caspian Technical Conference, as industry leaders and technology experts gathered here to discuss critical industry challenges, with the sector's accelerating digital shift high on the agenda.
The conference, organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), is taking place in Baku from Nov. 25 to 27, attracting more than 500 professionals worldwide. Discussions highlighted how AI and advanced analytics are reshaping decision-making across the upstream sector.
Participants noted that AI is already reshaping upstream workflows, particularly in handling massive datasets. The discussion also highlighted the importance of blending innovation with established protocols.
Anton Aristov, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, said that companies are increasingly looking to integrate AI agents with existing industry-standard software rather than replacing established systems. This approach, he said, eliminates repetitive tasks while preserving the transparency and verifiability often missing from "black box" models.
Local industry leaders echoed the call for digital readiness. Ulvi Zamanbayov, an associate director at the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, shared the company's progress in building a unified data platform compliant with international standards, aiming to break down data silos and enable faster innovation.
The SPE Caspian Technical Conference is one of the region's key industry events, traditionally bringing together experts, government officials, and technology innovators from across the Caspian Basin. The theme of this year's conference is "Learning from the Past, Rejuvenating Today, Inspiring Tomorrow."
The SPE is a not-for-profit professional association with 132,000 members in 146 countries and regions engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas and related energy resources. ■